§1509. Hearing

A. Upon application under the provisions of R.S. 15:1508, the court shall fix a date for a hearing to be held not more than twenty days, excluding Saturdays, Sundays, and legal holidays, from receipt of the petition. If the alleged abused or neglected adult has no attorney, the court shall appoint an attorney to represent him. The adult's attorney shall be granted access to all records of the adult.

B. The court shall cause the alleged abused or neglected adult and his attorney to be served with notice of the appointment and of the time, date, and place of the hearing no later than five days prior to the hearing. The notice shall inform such respondent that he has a right to be present at the hearing, that he has a right to choose his own privately retained and paid counsel or have a court-appointed attorney if he cannot afford one, that he has a right to subpoena witnesses to testify on his behalf, and that he has a right to cross-examine any witness testifying against him. The alleged abused or neglected adult shall have the right to attend the hearing; however, this may be waived by his attorney for cause with approval of the court.

C. In order to protect the confidentiality and dignity of the alleged abused or neglected adult, any hearing conducted by the court may be closed and the record of the hearing may be sealed.

D. In any proceeding concerning the abuse, neglect, or self-neglect of an adult, evidence may not be excluded on any ground of privilege, except in the case of communications between an attorney and his client or between a priest, rabbi, duly ordained minister, or Christian Science practitioner and his communicant.

Acts 2008, No. 181, §2, eff. June 13, 2008.